Piatt County District 3 board member Bob Murrell has vowed to vote “present” on all motions made at county board and committee meetings he is a part of, citing the county board’s rift with the state’s attorney’s office as his reason.
Murrell said the adversarial situation leaves the county without proper representation, noting that only the state’s attorney can allow the board to hire outside counsel.
“The honorable state’s attorney’s office has refused permission from the honorable Piatt County board to enjoy the services of outside legal representation to ensure that the honorable Piatt County board is in fact operating in compliance of all known laws and statutes,” said Murrell at the June 3 meeting of the county board building and grounds committee.
“The county board does not like the legal advice given by my office and has chosen to ignore it,” said State’s Attorney Dana Rhoades. “It is not the job of the state’s attorney to look for loopholes or to figure out a way around the law so the county board can do as it wishes.
“The laws and rules are in place to protect the citizens. I will continue to follow the law and serve the people of Piatt County,” she continued.
Noting that the state’s attorney’s office has filed charges against the county board at least twice in recent months – one to increase funding for the county Emergency Management Agency and a more recent one claiming the board violated the Illinois Open Meetings Act – Murrell said, “in an attempt to protect myself from personal liability and repeatedly threatened by the honorable states attorney’s office, let it be known that until such time as a full investigation of the actions of the honorable states attorney’s office into this toxic atmosphere and the unknown relationship of the Piatt County EMA director and the honorable states attorney’s office that forced the county into deficit spending, I will acknowledge being present. But, without legal representation and counsel, I can neither vote neither yay or nay.”
Murrell read his statement into the record at the building and grounds committee meeting as a resolution, but it was not acted on by the committee.
By abstaining – voting present – Murrell is basically saying he chooses not to vote. He did so at both building and grounds and transportation committee meetings last week.
His complete statement, as well as Rhoades’ complete response, can be found at www.journal-republican.com.
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June 10, 2020 at 08:30PM
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County board member says he will only vote 'present' - Piatt County Journal-Republican
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